Happiness is a powerful word, which many people have a hard time grasping. According to Merriam Webster, happiness is “the state of being happy”, “an experience that makes you happy”, “a state of well-being and contentment”, and “a pleasurable or satisfying experience.” Well Merriam, that doesn’t say much.
Happiness is subjective, but when one doesn’t feel it, what do they feel? Life can become a whirlwind of emotional chaos and stress, which counterbalances this seemingly unattainable state of being. Anything, and what seems like pretty much everything to a college student, can deter you from a truly remarkable and fulfilling existence. Our minds often shrink to the size of our college campus, and we forget to look beyond Drexel’s borders at the vast expanse of the beautiful world that we live in. We often fail to prioritize certain situations or thoughts that trigger stress and isolate ourselves until self-reliance is no longer an option.
One way to prevent this from happening is to know yourself inside and out. Know your limits, and know what you can and simply cannot take. What many college students do not realize is that we do not have to carry all our emotional baggage by ourselves. You do not have to take full responsibility for the way you feel. There will always be an outlet for your funk. Whether it is social anxiety, depression, ADHD or one of the many other challenges faced by college students, and ultimately all of humanity, there is always another way – and it never means saying goodbye indefinitely.
Sometimes all you need is someone to vent to, a shoulder to cry on, or a friend to talk with – but that’s not always the case. For the vast majority of people, professional guidance often yields the best results. There are many issues that are simply too uncomfortable to discuss with friends, or even family, and that is when outside services are most often sought. The resources at your fingertips are virtually endless, and the solutions to all your problems really do exist somewhere out there, but it is up to you to put in the work to find out more about yourself, and actively seek out the root of your difficulties.
The Counseling Center is one of the most influential resources to help students on Drexel’s campus. It offers free, confidential counseling services to currently enrolled full-time undergraduate and graduate students. They are available in University City and Center City Campus locations, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 215.895.1415 (University City Campus) or 215.762.7625 (Center City Campus). The Counseling Center offers individual, group, and couples counseling, and they treat any concern with the utmost level of confidentiality. A great advantage about visiting the Counseling Center is that it is easily accessible, so making an appointment won’t require drastic changes to your schedule. You come, you vent, and you go.
Drexel also offers peer counseling programs as well that will allow you to anonymously connect with another Drexel student who, of course, is trained to receive your call and give appropriate, helpful feedback. This is particularly beneficial because you can call from the comfort of your dorm or apartment, and are placed on the line with someone your own age, a reliable peer, which may seem more familiar and relatable. You can reach Drexel’s Peer Counseling Services at 215.895.1523 from Sunday to Thursday, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
For those who are hesitant to speak over the phone or in person, and/or have schedules that prevent them from venturing out and making appointments, betterhelp.com is a great virtual resource for those in need. After filling out a questionnaire, you are matched with a licensed online counselor in a secure online environment. You can hit ‘like’ on their Facebook page and see what they are about before committing.
It is so easy to assume that everything is okay in a person’s life, but it is those assumptions that often cause us to look away from someone who may actually be in grave danger – either of someone else or themself. Divorce, drug abuse, alcoholism, stress, domestic abuse, self-harm, suicidal tendencies, body issues, low self-esteem, criminal behavior, anger/aggression, and more are prevalent in almost everyone’s life – directly or indirectly.
As an outsider, you could provide a friend a shoulder to cry on for emotional support, you could sit and actively listen to them and work to help them find their way, or you could provide them with the information and hotlines or websites mentioned here. As cliché or uncool as that may seem, doing so might lead to a much-needed emotional release. If it is you who is in need of guidance, you could talk with a friend or family member, schedule an appointment, call an anonymous peer counselor, or set up a confidential live Internet chat with a licensed counselor.
The course of action you prefer to take is up to you. The opportunity to truly ground yourself and your sense of emotional wellbeing is at your disposal at Drexel, and other outside resources. Seek out your refuge, and finally grasp your own subjective definition of happiness.